I want to try lighting with tender, but have not done so yet. I was
also thinking of some sort of fabric dipped in wax that could be
layed on top of the fuel charge.

>
> Effects of wood that is not quite dry?
>

The more wet and the more green the wood the more difficult starting
is (more fluid must be used). Also, when the stove transitions to
charcoal burning, wet/green wood tends to smoke. So far, blowing
down on the coals has added enough air to hasten the transition back
to smokelessness.

> I assume the stove windscreen is causing some of the air/smoke from

the

> secondary slits to be pulled under the stove in a preheated way and

to burn the

> wood gas. Do I have this right?

The stove windscreen acts as insulation for the comubstion chamber
and heats the primary/secondary air. Concerning the secondary air
inlets, all that happens there is that additional, slightly pre-
heated fresh air is drawn into the combustion chamber. If you look
carefully on the picture of the stove body, you will notice that the
bottom of the secondary-air slit has been pushed toward the center of
the can. This creates a small venturi that draws in more air (this
seems to help). On my current stove, I have cut four additional
secondary slits, two ridges higher & halfway in between the slits
shown in the picture. Don't know if they help much (or any for that
matter).

ra1@imrisk.com

Ray wrote:
I want to try lighting with tender, but have not done so yet. I was
also thinking of some sort of fabric dipped in wax that could be

Message 2 of 22
, Oct 3, 2003

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Ray wrote:

>
> I want to try lighting with tender, but have not done so yet. I was
> also thinking of some sort of fabric dipped in wax that could be
> layed on top of the fuel charge.
> >

Yes, I am thinking of the little strips of cardboard soaked in candle wax that
"NoDrip" told me about on the AT. I have been using them for fire starters ever
since. They are non-volatile, can't leak, and burn very well.

I have also been doing some thinking about ways to decrease the weight and pack
footprint. I love your concept and look forward to trying out the original and
some mods over the weekend.

I did go out and look up several of the web references to the downdraft stoves.
You did a great job of turning those heavy items into something which can be
used for backpacking!

Rick
-------------------------------------------------
Register a Domain and get Hosting included @ http://www.catalog.com!

Ray Garlington

... weight and pack ... original and ... downdraft stoves. ... which can be ... Thanks for your comments. Have fun & let me know what you find out. Ray

Three stoves into this project, I have learned a few things already. - the stove works - I have been able to get it to work with paraffin soaked cardboard, but

Message 4 of 22
, Oct 5, 2003

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Three stoves into this project, I have learned a few things already.

- the stove works
- I have been able to get it to work with paraffin soaked cardboard,
but not with much weight savings over the half teaspoon of lamp oil or
coleman fuel it takes to get started.
- One nice thing about the stove is that it can be started with just
about any fuel. This is a plus for finding a source of fuel anywhere.
- I tried a version with windows cut in the top 3/4 inch of the can.
It is not tall enough to create enough draft. It did not work
- I tried a very light version made from sheet brass and aluminum.
This works pretty well and fits inside my small pot. However it is
more fragile and not quite as stable. It also must be used where metal
sticks can be inserted in the ground. I will post some pics of this
when I have the weights available.
- I replaced your bottom screen with a piece of hardware cloth. It
sits on four tabs that are bent up instead of down. I cut the
openings for the cuts with a dremmel drill.
- I am getting boiling times a little shorter than yours. It takes
about 5-6 minutes to boil 2 cups of water, and the water boils for
about 8-10 minutes. It does stay hot for many more minutes, because
of the charcoal heat.
- I had trouble with the pot stand sticking to the pot. I came up
with a lighter-weight alternative with less contact area.
- I can already see that I would be willing to take this little stove
hiking for a longer trial.

> --- In hammockcamping@yahoogroups.com, ra1@i... wrote:
> > I have also been doing some thinking about ways to decrease the
> weight and pack
> > footprint. I love your concept and look forward to trying out the
> original and
> > some mods over the weekend.
> >
> > I did go out and look up several of the web references to the
> downdraft stoves.
> > You did a great job of turning those heavy items into something
> which can be
> > used for backpacking!
> >
> > Rick
>
>
> Thanks for your comments. Have fun & let me know what you find out.
> Ray

efield

I have a couple of questions. 1. Ray said in his earlier posts that the larger the diameter the can, the more heat was produced. Has anyone come up with an

Message 5 of 22
, Oct 5, 2003

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I have a couple of questions.

1. Ray said in his earlier posts that the larger the diameter the can, the
more heat was produced. Has anyone come up with an otimum diameter for a
backpacking stove.

2. Does the height of the fuel load have much affect on the total burn time?
Would a taller stove
give longer burn times?

Great work to all who are testing these stoves.

Ed Field

----- Original Message -----
From: "Risk"

> Three stoves into this project, I have learned a few things already.
>
> - the stove works

Risk

Ed, Ray will post his own reply, but I believe that he has found a pretty optimum size. This may be about as small as the stove can be and still be self

Message 6 of 22
, Oct 5, 2003

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Ed,

Ray will post his own reply, but I believe that he has found a pretty
optimum size. This may be about as small as the stove can be and
still be self sustaining. He used, and I copied, a stove made from a
tin can which is 4 3/8 in (11.1 cm) tall and 2 7/8 in (7.4 cm)in
diameter. This is a common can size for many vegetables in the US.

From reading the literature, a taller stove does give a longer burn
time. But for most backpack cooking this is a pretty good time. I
did find yesterday, that if I wanted to increase the time, I could add
another batch of small sticks when the stove enters the charcoal phase
and it would be back to gassifying very quickly. This burn is not
quite as efficient, because the heat is below the sticks and not
working its way down through them.

I am interested in seeing what Ray has to add to this.

BTW,

There is a small chance we should think about moving this discussion
to another group as it has been staying off hammock camping for quite
a while. How about BPL? Ray?

Rick

--- In hammockcamping@yahoogroups.com, "efield" <efield@c...> wrote:
> I have a couple of questions.
>
> 1. Ray said in his earlier posts that the larger the diameter the
can, the
> more heat was produced. Has anyone come up with an otimum diameter for a
> backpacking stove.
>
> 2. Does the height of the fuel load have much affect on the total
burn time?
> Would a taller stove
> give longer burn times?
>
>
> Great work to all who are testing these stoves.
>

Shane Steinkamp

... I have a couple of things I d like to add too, but I d like to see us move it first. Anywhere you like... Even off list if need be. Might be a good time

Message 7 of 22
, Oct 5, 2003

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> There is a small chance we should think about moving this
> discussion to another group as it has been staying off hammock
> camping for quite a while. How about BPL? Ray?

I have a couple of things I'd like to add too, but I'd like to see us move
it first. Anywhere you like... Even off list if need be.

Might be a good time to create the 'woodburningbackpackingstoves' list on
Yahoo...

OK. Just one last message on Hammockcamping about this stove to clean
up some questions that were left unanswered here.

=========
From: "efield" <efield@c...>
Date: Sun Oct 5, 2003 6:58 am

1. Ray said in his earlier posts that the larger the diameter the
can, the more heat was produced. Has anyone come up with an otimum
diameter for a backpacking stove.

>>>> The stove in its 3" x 4.5" size has adequate power to boil 1

quart of water in about 10 minutes. For a single person this is
probably ok, plus (at that size) it turns out not to need any air
controls and is nearly smokeless. The downside is that the smaller
the stove, the more care that is required when preparing the fuel.

I have been working on a 4" x ~7" size. It will take larger wood so
preparation is more fun, puts out a lot of heat, but needs to
be "turned down" halfway through the burn. Right now it smokes too
much (black smoke).

2. Does the height of the fuel load have much affect on the total
burn time? Would a taller stove give longer burn times?